Harry Maguire has started every game under Michael Carrick at Man United and the head coach has been delighted with the impact he has made.
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire has been in excellent form for Manchester United
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Michael Carrick has backed Harry Maguire to make a late dash for a place in England's World Cup squad after praising the impact the veteran centre-back has had in his eight games in charge.
Maguire had played just 11 minutes of football since November 8 when Carrick was appointed in mid-January, but the 33-year-old has started all eight games and has reminded everyone of his quality in the past two months.
He is in the final four months of his Old Trafford contract but has made a strong case to be handed a new deal and his form has also caught the eye of Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel, who will name his squad for March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan later this month.
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Maguire hasn't played for his country in two years but his run of form for United has made him a contender to force his way back in under Tuchel, with a place up for grabs in the World Cup squad this summer and his long-term international partner John Stones also battling fitness problems.
Carrick has been impressed with the experience and calmness Maguire has brought to his team since parachuting him back into the side and believes the quality of his displays has put him back in the frame to add to his 62 international caps.
"Harry has been playing well, considering you look back not too long ago, and he was out for a considerable period of time, injured," said Carrick.
"He came straight back in when we arrived, so there has been a bit of managing him through the weeks and the games and getting him right up to speed physically. I think he has just shown his experience, the composure in certain situations.
"He knows what it feels like, he knows what it takes and he has done ever so well. Whatever is going to happen with England is going to happen with England but he has definitely put himself back in the frame, if he was ever out of it. He’s definitely in the frame and hopefully from my point of view he gets picked and he goes."
Tuchel said in February that Maguire had put himself back in the picture for England, along with Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo. Talking about Maguire and Shaw, the England boss said Carrick's decision to revert a back four helped their case, given England use the same system.